Rapid, Facile Microwave-Solvothermal Synthesis of Graphene Nanosheets and Their Polyaniline Nanocomposites for Energy Strorage

A facile microwave-assisted solvothermal (MW-ST) reduction of exfoliated graphite oxide (GO) with nontoxic solvents to obtain chemically-modified graphene nanosheets (GNS) within a short reaction time of 5-15 min at relatively low temperatures, was reported. GO prepared from graphite by the Hummer's method 5a was dispersed in high boiling tetraethylene glycol, and the yellow-brown colloidal suspension formed was subjected to MW-ST reduction at 300°C. The MW-ST reduction of GO was also carried out at a lower temperature of 180°C with various other polar solvents. The substantial shift of the (002) reflection from 8.36 to 3.55 Å after the MW-ST processing of GO confirms the formation of graphene from GO. Also, the decrease in interplanar spacing on going from 180 to 300̊C in TEG reveals that the solvothermal reduction of GO becomes more effective with increasing temperature and pressure.